Florence City
Schools has a strong reputation for
providing excellence in academic
achievement, athletics and extracurricular
activities. Students are provided a
plethora of options and opportunities to
reach their full potential. Through a
rigorous instructional program. FCS
offers 15 AP courses, 52 Career/Technical
courses, 14 competitive sports with 61
teams, and education from the "cradle to the
career". Our award-winning fine arts program is nationally recognized.

Over the past three
years, FCS students were awarded more than
$20 million in scholarships to universities
such as MIT, Tulane, West Point, Vanderbilt,
Auburn University, UNA and the University of
Alabama.

The overwhelming support of the community is
clearly evident through the City of
Florence's commitment to provide 35% of the
district's funding. Florence City Schools'
partnership with Southwire Corporation
through 12 For Life is an outstanding
example of the unwavering commitment of our
business community to student success. The
unique collaborative partnership among FCS,
UNA, Northwest-Shoals Community College, and
other institutions of higher learning
demonstrates how teamwork yields success.

With 66% of all FCS faculty holding a
master's degree or greater and 25 teachers
National Board Certified, FCS prides itself
on recruiting, hiring, training, and
retaining the best and brightest in the
education profession. We have risen to a new
level of success in academics as
demonstrated by our recent first-time
ranking by U.S. News and World Report
on America's Best High Schools as #17 out of
370 (or the top 5%) in Alabama and #1468 (or
top 9%) in the nation. Our elementary
schools likewise have attained prestigious
awards, including recognitions such as an
Intel School of Distinction for national
mathematics excellence and a model for
excellence for child nutrition in national
publications. In technology, we have become
the pacesetter for others to follow through
our 1-to-1 iPad initiative in grades 10-12,
with a full move to electronic textbooks
this fall in those grades.

The University of
North Alabama prides itself on strong
academics supported by a dedicated
faculty and staff. Toward that end we
offer a diverse range of undergraduate
and graduate programs coupled with
excellent academic support services.

In preparation for
a recent accreditation review, the UNA
academic community embraced a theme of
"Building Success through Discovery."
The intent of the program is to
integrate student research within each
major of the undergraduate curriculum-to
give students the tools to "imagine,
investigate, and communicate." Faculty
mentoring will be at the forefront of
this innovative approach to student
learning.

Consistent with
the changes in student demographics in
recent years, the University has
developed undergraduate and graduate
degrees in interdisciplinary and
professional studies. These programs
cater to non-traditional adult learners.
The UNA goal is to find an academic
niche that meets the educational and
career goals for all students.

Perhaps most
important is that our 275+ full-time
faculty have as their highest priority
serving as advisors and mentoring to the
7,200+ students who make up the student
body at UNA. These dedicated faculty
members understand today's financial
investment in a university education and
take seriously their role in achieving
success for all students who accept
their academic obligations.